So without any warning (short of a hand written sign duct taped under the LED sign at the old station) the MBTA has moved this station a block or so farther down Washington Street. I was quite suprised when the driver wouldn't let me off today, although she pleasantly explained that the stop was moved.

Question is why a hand written sign and no flyers on the bus, no announcements on the LED signs before it happened (since static messages are all that seem to work on them anyways).

Well they are testing the bus arival messages again on the silver line, as promised. The Union Park inbound station shows an estimated time till arrival, along with a message that the arrival messages are in testing.

sabourinj wrote:Well they are testing the bus arival messages again on the silver line, as promised. The Union Park inbound station shows an estimated time till arrival, along with a message that the arrival messages are in testing.

JS

Arrival messages seem to be working fairly well, yesterday it actually counted down and said arriving as the bus rounded the corner to Union Park station.

All other MBTA buses that regularly use the TWT are being rerouted through the Callahan/Sumner Tunnels, so I am assuming this will be the same route for the Silver Line. The line is currently running every 20 minutes (or more) instead of every 10.

T officials are urging people to utilize the Blue Line rather than the Silver, and have added extra trains to the Blue Line.

Silver Line Washington Street is also experiencing delays due to downtown traffic.

Silver Line Airport buses are utilizing an emergency access tunnel to the Ted Williams Tunnel, circumventing the accident area. So they are still running through the TWT, (and I imagine they have it all to themselves?) albeit with delays from surface congestion.

EDIT:

Buses are exclusively utilizing an emergency access tunnel, regulated by Massport to one bus per 20 minutes through the tunnel, thus the 20-minute headway.

The outbound Silver Line is using the emergency access ramp on the outbound side of the open cut between the 'accident' tunnel and the Ted Williams almost opposite Silver Line Way. It turns out to be quite adequate for the artics, wider and more easily curved than the turnaround beyond So. Sta. The grade though steep is no worse than many others on the system and the merge appears reasonable, particularly for an all professional driver outfit. The empty tunnel is quite a strange experience. There is a little congestion inbound but not as bad as it could be. media coverage has cut use to almost the right level for remaining capacity. Cooperation and common sense have made this particular emergency almost painless for the Silver Line and passengers.
LS

Okay, I rode the Silver Line out to the Airport and back today, and overall it was smooth and easy.

Outbound, it was eerie having the tunnel all to ourselves, but it made the trip as fast as I've ever seen. That emergency onramp easily shaved 5 minutes off the trip, it was almost surreal how quickly we were out of SL Way and in the TWT. I truly wish the SL could use this ramp all the time!!! The normal back and forth nonsense is so agonizing, especially when you hit every light on red when there is no traffic around!

Coming back, traffic in the TWT was jammed at the mouth due to the eventual merging into one lane, but once everyone merged it was fairly smooth sailing. Didn't seem like the folks coming in to the city from Logan were aware of the tunnel accident, which I guess is good for Boston's national image, but they found out thru newspapers and onboard conversation.

LED signs at Courthouse and WTC warned of delays on airport service, but not at South Station when I was there.